Sectional folding minnow trap



June 30, 1925.

- J. M. BRAUTIG'AM SEGTIONAL FOLDING mnmow TRAP 1923 I '2 Sheets-Sheet l'Filegl July 12 J 40 JzWIZOJO 3 3; j j l 57" g Arromvgv.

June 30,1925. 1,5 4 1 J. M. VBRAUTIGAM SEGTIONAL FOLDING ummow TRAPFiled-July 12, 1923 2 ShQQtS-Shaet 2* usrrs s'ra'rss 'FQEZN IYI.BRAUTIGAE-l, GE?

a citizen of the United States, 'esiding at Indianapolis, in the countyof Marion and State of indiana, have invented a new and useful SectionalFolding Minnow Trap, of which the following is a specification,referrnce being had to the accompanyingdrawing s, and to the letters andfigures of reference marked thereon. 1

This invention relates to an article thatv is designed to be used byfishermen tor catch ing and retaining minnows to be usedor baiting fishhooks, the invention hai f reference more particularly to a foldiminnow-trap of light wei- 'ht construction whicn may be convenientlycarried by the ser.

An object of the intention is to provide a veg minnow-trap which shallbe so constructed as to be collapsible and adapted to be foldedcompactly and flatly so as to readily carried by hand or in a pocket,conveniently stowed or packed in a motor vehicle when on a fishino trip.

Another object is to provide a lightweight and efficient minnow-trap inwhich the minnows may bereadily seen to enable thelishernan or angler toselect and remove the particular size of minnows thatmay be desired foruse as bait. i

A further object is to provide an improved foldingminnow-trap whichshall of such construction as to permit repairs to be readily made incase of damage thereto that might be caused by accident or rough usage,and which shall have all parts thereof connected together, and as'far aspossible without soldering or, riveting, without liability of carelessmisplacement of parts during use or folding operations.

ill f rther object is to provide a light weight folding minnow-trapwhich shall be composed of readily renewable parts which may bedesirable in making repairs that might be necessary because ofaccidental damage,whichutrap shall be'durable and economical in use. I

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, theinvention'consists in a minnow-trap composed of novel parts connectedtogether in a novel manner and foldable in an improved manner so as tobe compact; and, the invention. consists also f h in t e r e Parts co pise i INDL rAT-ENT} oreics.

HAPGLIE'z, run-tans;

1213131310177 TRAP.

Serial Ho. 651,016.

the structure, and in the combinations and 7 ts of parts, as iereinafterpart cular" vv described and further defined. in ms appended hereto.

e i view of the trap; Fig.- 3 is a bottom plan the trap; F e is atransverse section ofthe trap; Fig. 5 is a top, plan of the trap aspreferablyconstructed; ll 6 is an end view showing the'contti uration'when the trap is partially folded; 7 is fragn'ientary-sectionapproximately on the line VII-Vll in 2 on an enla 'ed scale;

is longitudinal vertical central section of the trap; Fig. 9 is anoutline View of one of the traps to illustrate the arrange? ment efpartswhen the trap is folded; Fig. 1.0 is a fragmentary plan showing several.

p s folda-bly-connected together and, Fig. 11 aplan of one of theblanks't o be folded and formed into one of thesections of the trap. I iI Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawingindicate corresponding elements or features of construction hereinreferred to in detail.

@onstructed in accordance with the invention, the. minnow-trap is oflight weight and composed principally of thin sheet metal, suchcommercial tin plate, sheet Zinc, or'sheet aluminum composition, and isoblong, the trap having a. bottom lthat has upturned flanges 2 and 3constituting side members, and a top 4 having downturned flanges 5. and6 constituting side members, the bottom. and the top being substantiallyalike as to size and contour. One side of the trap is composed of twosections or panels 7 and and the opposite side is composed of similarsections or panels 9 and 10. The sections of each side are arranged oneabove the other and the upper section is hingedly connected, as by ahinge rod 11 with the side member 5, the other section being likewiseconnected with the side member 2., by a hinge rod 12, the hinge rods 11and 12 being arranged on a plane at the inner side of the sections whichare hingedly con nected togetheras by means of a hinge rod connected asby means of hinge rods 14 and 15 to the side members 6 and 3respectively and are connected together as by means of a hinge rod 16,the sections of the side being foldable inwardly. One side preferably isprevented from being folded by means of clasps 17 and 17 embracing theends re body portion of the trap, and the hingelike connectionsmay bevariously constructed to permit the sides thereof to fold inwardly tobring the top and the bot-tom each towards the other. 7

' The minnow-trap has two ends that are designed to guide a swimmingfish commonly known as minnows into the minnow-trap and affordobstructions to their return therefrom, the-ends'being approximatelyfunnelshaped. Each end being sectional and fold able, one end compriseslower and upper sections 19 and 20 connected to the bottom and the topby means of hinge rods 21 and 22 respectively, the sections extendinginwardly and convergently each towards the other; the end comprisingalso two side sections 23 and 24 hingedly connected to the upper andlower sections by hinge devices 25 and 26 respectively permitting theside sections'to fold over onto the upper and lower sectionsrespectively, the two side sections beinghingedly connected together bymeans of a hinge device 27 permitting the two sections to be folded overeach against the other. The opposite side of theend comprises twosections 28 and 29 connected to the upper and lowerend sections by meansof hinge dev1ces-30 and 31 respectively, being connected together by ahinge device 32. The hinge rods of the devices 27 and 32 lie within theminnow-trap and the others on the outer side thereof. The opposite endsimilarly comprises lower and upper sections 19 and 20, having the hingedevices 21 and 22, side seotlons 23 and 24 having the hinge .devices 25and 26 and also the hinge device 27, the opposite side comprisingsections 28 and 29 having the hinge devices 30 and 31 and also the hingedevice 32. Each end section is approximately triangular and one of thesmaller portions of each section is located nearly at the middle of theend which has a central opening of suitable dimensions for the passageof water and min- DOWS.

Preferably the bottom 1 of the minnow trap is suitably made reticulateas by means of perforations 33, for the passage of water,

' and the bottom has a doorway 34' covered. by

metal, a stop 38 for the door being likewise provided, the door having asuitable handle 39.

The forward end of the top 4 is provided with a ring or link 40 to whichan anchor chain or rope may be connected for holding the forward endofthe minnow-trap so as to face Lip-stream or against the current of thewater. Preferably the top 4 has a suitable number of window openings 41therein that are covered by a sheet 42 of transparent substance, such ascelluloid, the sheet being removably held in place by means of guides 43at one edge and other guides 44 at the opposite edge of the windowopening, and also stops 45 at one end of the window opening and a button46 at the opposite end thereof, the guides and the stops preferablybeing integral with the metal of the top, to avoid the cost of solderingor riveting'the guides in place. I

I The sections of the sides of the minnowtrap preferably are alsoprovided with window openings 47 and 48 respectively that are covered bytransparent sheets 49' and 50 respectively, each sheet being removablyheld in place by means of'guide plates 51 and 51 formed integrally withthe metal of the sections bent over hinge rods to form hinge ears topermit'the side sections to be folded, other portions of the metal beingbent over upon the guide plates to constitute clamps 52 and 52respectively. Thetransparent sheets are further held in place by meansofstops 53 at one end and buttons 54 .at the opposite end thereof. Thewindows are designed to admit light into the minnow-trap.-

' Preferablyrfurther provision is made for admitting light into theminnow-trap, the

upper and lower sections of each end being provided with transparentsheets 55 and 55, the sections of one side having transparent sheets 56and 57 respectively and the sections of the opposite side having similarsheets 56 and 57 respectively.

In Fig. 10 the devices for holding the transparent sheets arerepresented as being on the opposite side of the sections from those inthe preceding figures in which the sheets are externally arranged. Wheneach section is flat, portions being unfolded as shown in Fig. 11 themarginal portions of the section have apertures 58 therein and themarginal portions are to be bent over on lines 59 to constitute hingeconnections that support said guide plates 51, said clamps 52 extendinginto the apertures and beingsubsequently bent over on lines 60 tosecurely hold the guide plates in place, hinge cars 61 receiving hingerods 30, 31, 32. Preferably clasps 62 are pivoted to the end sectionsfor retaining the transparent plates in place under the guides." Theupper and lower end sections have hinge ears 63 that are con nected bymeans of the hinge rodsto similar cars which may be formed integral withthe bottom and the top of the minnow-trap.

l/Vhen an end section is flat as in Fig. 11, before receiving thebending operations, one marginal portion preferably has .a slot 64therein that provides a strip that is folded over on the line of theslot to. constitute a clamp plate 65 to assist holding t .e transparentsheet, the opposite portion having a slot 66 permitting the marginalportion to be bent orer to form a clamp plate 67, the slots permittingthe. transparent sheets to pass through the edge portion of the sect? n.The inner end of each transparent sheet on the end 'ections extendsbeyond the smalle end of the section, orthrough the slot es, and the pi.jectin-g PcltlOil being thin and flexible permits fish to pass inwardbnt odors an cbstr ion the fish in an attempt to pass ens. of theminnow-trap, The upper end preferably has a slightlysmaller centralopening than the opposite end, .so that the minnows swimming up streamcan easily enter the minnow-trap but those of desirable size cannot passthrough the upper end. Preferably the top t has suitable perforations 68for the passageof water through the trap.

In practical use, the minnow-trap is placed in water where there areminnows which swim into the minnowwtrap through the la 'gor opei-i-ingin the end that is down stream and they swim towards the upper end whichadmits water through its central opening but ordinarily prevents theminnows from swimming out through the end. The door 35 may be opened bythe fisherman who will select the desired size of minnows. for bait.lVhen the minnow-trap is not needed for catching bait the clasps, 17, 18are withdrawn from place to permit the sections of the sides to foldinwardly, the sections of the ends automatically folding inwardly also,so that the structure colrpscs until the bottom and the top are drawnsufficiently close together to form a relatively thin package which maybe easily carried or stowed away for future use. The smaller size ofminnow-traps when folded may be readily carried in a garment pocket.lVhcn the minnow-trap is required for use it quickly unfolded and theclasps returned to place to hold the side sections in normal position,the ends being automatically unfolded so as to be normal.

What I claim as new is 1. A sectional folding minnow-trap including abottom and a top, two sectional ends hingedly connected to the bottomand the top and foldable inward between them, and two sectional sideshingedly connected to the bottom and the top and foldable partially intothe folded ends.

2. A sectional folding minnow-trap ineluding a bottom and a top, twosectional ends hingedly connected to the bottom and.

the top and foldable inward between them, one of the ends having anopening therein provided with a movable obstruction,and two sectionalsides hingedly connected to the bottom and the top and foldablepartially into the folded ends, g

3.. A sectional folding minnow trap including a bottom and a top havingeach a pair of side members integral therewith, two sides comprisingeach a pair of sections hinged together and to the. side members on thebottom and the top respectively, and two ends comprising each a pair ofsections hinged to. the bottom and the top and two Sectional foldingsides foldahly connected to the hinged sections. c i

4. A sectional folding minnow-trap incl-ut ing a bottom and a top, twosides comprising each two sections hingedly connected together, andalsoto the bottom and the top respectively to fold inwardly, claspsremovably connected to the ends of the sides, nermally preventingfolding thereof, and two sectional. foldable end-s hingedly connected tothe bottom and the top'to, fold inward and between the bottom and thetop...v

ing a bottom and a top, two sides comp, g

lower end sections hingedto the bottom, t-Wo upper end sections hingedto, the top, two pairs of foldable end sections hinged to one of thelower end sections and to one of the upper end sections, and two pairsof foldable sections hinged to the remaining lower end section and tothe remaining upper end section.

6. A sectional folding minnow-trap including a bottom and a top, foldingsides comprising sections having window openings and folding endscomprising sections having window openings, the sections having portionsthereof on opposite sides of the openings bent over towards the openingsto constitute hinge ears and also guide plates and other portions bentover upon and clamping the plates to the bodies of the section-s, theguide plates extending from the ears towards the openings, transparentsheets on the sections respectively and engaged by the guide plates, andhinge rods arranged in said ears.

7. A sectional folding minnow-trap comprising a perforated bottom havinga doorway, a door slidably guided on the bottom and normally closing thedoorway, a top having a window therein, two sides composed each of twosections hingedly con nected together and also hinged respectively tothe bottom and the top and having a window therein, and two endscomposed each of four triangular sections hingedly lit) connectedtogether and having each a window therein, one of the sections'of eachof the ends having a hinging connection with the bottom and the oppositeone of the sections having a hinging connection with said top.

8; A sectional folding minnortrap including a bottom and a top havingeach a pair of side members integral therewith two foldablesidesfoldably connected to the bottom and the top, and two ends comprisingeacha plurality of triangular sections foldably connected together, twoof the triangular sections being hinged to the bottom and the toprespectively and extending convergently each towards the other, theremaining triangular sect ons forming two palrs extendlng convergentlyeach towards the other from the foldable sides respectively, there Abeing a central opening in each of the ends,

tending side members respectively and'to the lower side sectionsrespectively, and two ends comprising each a lower triangular sectionhinged to the body part bottom, an upper triangular section hinged tothe body part top, two triangular sections hingedly' connected togetherand also hinged respectively 'to one edge of the lower triangularsection and to one edge of the upper triangular sec tion, and twotriangular sections hingedly connected together and also hingedrespectively to the oppositeedge of the lower triangular section and tothe opposite-edge of the upper triangular section.

10. A sectional folding minnow-trap ins eluding a perforated bottom anda top hav ing each a pair of side members integral therewith, the tophaving a window, folding sides each comprising sections hinged togetherand to the side members of the bottom and the top respectively, the.sections having window openings, the sections having portions thereof onopposite sides of the openings bent over towards the openings toconstitue hinge ears and also guide plates and other portions bent overupon and clamping the plates to the bodies of the sections, the guideplates extending from the ears towards the openings, transparent sheetson the'sec tions respectively to cover the openings-and engaged by theguide plates, hinge rods arranged in said ears, and sectional foldingends hinged to the bottom and the top and having central openings.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature on the 30th day of June,1923.

JOHN M. BRAUTIGAM.

